Starting off with a Crime That Stole My Sleep!

There are some news stories that never leave our minds. One such incident from my teenage years still haunts me. A woman, whose husband worked in Dubai to provide for their family, was having an affair with another man. One unfortunate day, her neighbor’s child accidentally witnessed their intimate act. Fearing exposure, she poisoned and killed the innocent child.

That story made me sleepless for nights. Even as a teen, I couldn't understand how someone's selfishness could lead to such a brutal act. Years later, similar incidents continue to appear in the news—only the names and locations change. What remains the same is the tragedy of innocent children who suffer, either as direct victims or as those left behind in broken families.

The Unseen Consequences of a Selfish Choice

Extramarital affairs are often portrayed as personal choices, moments of weakness, or acts of love outside of marriage. But when these affairs lead to crimes—murders, suicides, domestic violence—the real victims are not just the betrayed spouses but the children who have no say in the situation.

A selfish decision by a parent can affect a child’s life permanently. The wounds left behind do not heal with time. Instead, they shape who the child becomes, how they perceive relationships, and how they struggle with self-worth.

Recent Cases on Extramarital Affairs

• Rajkot Murder Case (2018): In Tikar village of Vanthali taluka in Junagadh district, a 49-year-old man was murdered due to an extramarital affair. The accused, Pravin Thumar, allegedly clubbed Dinesh Pushdadia to death with a bat and left his body in the house.
• Kundrathur Murder Case (2018): In Chennai, Abirami from Kundrathur, involved in an extramarital affair, poisoned her husband and two children to elope with her lover, Sundaram. Her daughter died, and she attempted again the next night. Her husband later found the children dead. Police arrested Abirami and her lover while they tried to escape.
• Ghaziabad Murder Case (2020): A man in Ghaziabad was arrested for orchestrating the murder of his pregnant wife. He staged a robbery to conceal the crime, motivated by his extramarital affair with his wife's younger sister. The incident occurred near Mewati Chowk of Behta Hazipur under the Loni police station on the night between January 11 and 12, 2020.
• Kurnool Double Murder Case (2022): In Andhra Pradesh, a double murder case was linked to an extramarital affair. Local police registered a case under IPC sections 302 and 325, sending the bodies for postmortem and concluding that the double murder resulted from an extramarital affair.
• Meerut Murder Case (2025): In Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, Muskan Rastogi and her lover, Sahil Shukla, murdered her husband, Saurabh Rajput, a Merchant Navy officer. They dismembered his body and concealed it in a cement-filled drum within their residence. The crime was discovered after Muskan's parents alerted the police, leading to the arrest of both suspects.

These cases highlight the severe consequences that extramarital affairs and related domestic disputes can have, often leading to tragic outcomes.

How Children’s Lives Are Destroyed by Their Parents’ Affairs?

1. A Childhood Stolen Forever

Children in such families are often exposed to fights, emotional neglect, and sometimes even violence. They are forced to mature too soon, losing the innocence of childhood. Some children are used as weapons in fights between their parents, making them feel guilty for things they never caused.

2. The Pain of Being 'Unwanted'

In many cases, when a parent chooses an affair over their family, the child feels abandoned. A mother or father prioritizing their illicit relationship over their child creates a deep emotional wound. This feeling of being "unwanted" haunts them even as adults, making them question their worth in every relationship they enter.

3. Identity Crisis: Who Am I?

Children whose parents' affairs become public often face social humiliation. In schools, neighborhoods, and even within their extended families, they are judged based on their parents’ actions. They carry the burden of a crime they never committed. Some even change their names to escape the stigma, but the emotional damage remains.

4. Fear of Relationships and Commitment Issues

A child who sees their family broken due to an affair grows up fearing love and commitment. They either develop trust issues, refusing to believe in love, or unconsciously repeat the same patterns in their own relationships. Many struggle with long-term relationships, fearing betrayal, abandonment, or emotional instability.

5. Emotional Scars That Last a Lifetime

Even if the child grows up and moves on, the scars remain. They may succeed in their career, marry, and start a family, but deep down, the childhood trauma lingers. Some people spend their whole lives trying to heal from something they never asked for in the first place.

When Crimes Are Committed, Children Lose Everything

In the worst cases, affairs lead to crimes—murders, suicides, and even parents killing their own children to "get rid of obstacles." In such situations, the child is not just emotionally damaged but physically harmed or orphaned.

A child who loses a parent in such a crime faces:

• Orphanhood and helplessness: If one parent is dead and the other is in jail, the child is left with no emotional or financial security.
• Adoption and identity struggles: Many such children are sent to orphanages or foster care, where they struggle to find a sense of belonging.
• Lifetime of pain: No matter where they go, the knowledge of how they lost their family never leaves them.

Conclusion: A Lifetime Destroyed for a Moment of Selfishness

Extramarital affairs are not just "mistakes" or "choices"—they can destroy an entire life. The children caught in the aftermath are the true victims, carrying invisible scars that never truly heal.

A single selfish decision by an adult can ruin an innocent child’s future. No momentary desire, no temporary attraction, no emotional weakness is worth the suffering of a child who never asked to be part of it. Parents must understand that their actions do not just affect themselves—they leave permanent wounds on their children.

Because when a parent chooses betrayal, it is the child who pays the highest price, sometimes for a lifetime.

.    .    .